[Govind Pansare Murder Case] 'No Further Investigation Needed': Bombay High Court

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Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata reviewed an affidavit from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which affirmed that all possible investigative angles had been addressed. When asked if the investigation was complete, the prosecutor confirmed it was.

[Govind Pansare Murder Case] 'No further Investigation Needed': Bombay High Court — [Govind Pansare Murder Case] ‘No further Investigation Needed’: Bombay High Court

Bombay: The Bombay High Court suggested on Thursday(14th Nov) that no further investigation is required in the 2015 Govind Pansare murder case, though the search for two absconding suspects should continue.

The court acknowledged that the investigating agency had repeatedly asserted a thorough examination of the case, leading the bench to consider closing the petition filed by the Pansare family. This petition sought a transfer of the case.

Justices AS Gadkari and Kamal Khata reviewed an affidavit from the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which affirmed that all possible investigative angles had been addressed. When asked if the investigation was complete, the prosecutor confirmed it was.

Advocate Abhay Nevagi, representing the Pansare family, argued that the “real mastermind” remained unidentified and pointed to heightened security for the family as evidence of broader threats.

Nevagi also suggested links to the high-profile murders of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and journalist Gauri Lankesh, hinting at a larger conspiracy, though the court found this claim unsupported by evidence.

The court stressed that investigators could not fabricate evidence or make baseless accusations. Another lawyer, Subhash Jha, representing some of the accused, contended that continued High Court oversight was unnecessary, given that the trial was underway.

The Pansare family’s petition, initially filed to push for continued investigation, is now scheduled for review on December 2, giving Nevagi time to consult with the family on whether to request further court supervision.

Govind Pansare was shot by assailants in Kolhapur on February 16, 2015, and succumbed to his injuries four days later in a Mumbai hospital. The investigation, initially led by the CID SIT, was transferred to the ATS in 2022 after limited progress. The prosecution still plans to call approximately 200 witnesses in the ongoing trial.